How Vets Talk to Clients About Feline Obesity

Obesity is a very common health problem in pets.  Is your dog or cat overweight…and if so, has your veterinarian had a serious discussion with you about the health risks associated with obesity in pets?  A recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science examined how a group of vets in Ontario, Canada talked to clients about their overweight cats.

The findings show that many veterinarians tend to avoid potentially uncomfortable conversations about the less than ideal feeding practices of clients who have overweight cats, and they also often do not have serious discussions about weight management.  Vets are more likely to skirt around the issue to avoid insulting clients.  Their strategies include the use of humor, and addressing the pet directly (i.e. “You sure love your food, don’t you Fluffy?”).

The article notes that many owners of obese pets try to “normalize” their pet’s weight and minimize the seriousness of the problem.  This can be especially true for cats, as they tend to see the vet less frequently than dogs, so there are fewer opportunities for discussions between a vet and owner about feline obesity.

The researchers examined nearly 300 videos of vet-client interactions involving feline patients.  The results show that only a small percentage of the vets had any discussions about the causes and prevention of obesity.  In fact, most of the conversations were generated by a handful of the vets who were more likely to bring up the issue.

What were some of the communication problems identified?  When talking about specific kinds of cat food, the vets were more likely to mention specific brands’ quality and nutritional content, and the clients tended to focus on shapes and colors.  They often could not name the brands they used and said things like the food was “from the natural pet store.”

If clients seemed resistant to talking about feeding habits, the vets often resorted to humor when addressing a cat’s weight.  Talking to the pet as a way of communicating with the client was a common strategy.  This “patient-directed speech” would often take the form of a compliment on the cat’s appearance (nice fur, for example) and then joking conversations with the animal (“You’re not missing many meals, are you?”).

What can be done to improve vet-client communication about pet obesity?  The authors recognize that addressing pet obesity with clients can be a sensitive issue for vets.  However, they stress that there is “a need for a dynamic and individualized response to obesity management in veterinary medicine.”  Pet owners can be resistant to measures like reducing food intake and eliminating treats, but vets need to be more proactive in exploring their clients’ attitudes, asking questions, and providing clear explanations and plans in order to improve communication about pet obesity management and prevention.

And of course, we pet owners should talk honestly and openly with our vets about how we are feeding our dogs and cats, especially if they are overweight.  Awareness about the risks of pet obesity and what we as owners can do about it is important.  Here’s a great website to learn more about pets and weight:  petobesityprevention.org

 

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How Your Pet’s Health Can Affect Your Own Well-Being

If you are living with a seriously (or terminally) ill dog, cat, or other companion animal, then you know how stressful that can be.  A recent study published in the Veterinary Record has found that your pet’s health problems have a very real impact on your emotional health.  Caregivers for sick pets are much more likely to suffer from stress, depression, and anxiety than the owners of healthy animals.

Research conducted by Kent State University scientists surveyed 119 owners of dogs and cats with a chronic or terminal illness and 119 owners of healthy pets.  Not surprisingly, the “caregiver burden” was much greater in the owners of the sick pets, who showed more symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression—as well as an overall lower quality of life and poorer psycho-social functioning—than the people who lived with healthy pets.

The researchers note that the concept of caregiver burden in pet owners needs to be better understood by veterinarians, so that they can recognize and help clients who show signs of stress and depression.  They suggest that vets can even partner with mental health professionals to support their clients.

In an editorial that accompanies the article, the authors note that the stress of caring for a seriously or terminally ill pet can be as substantial as that of caring for a very sick human family member.  But caregivers for ill humans have a significant support network (nurses, home health aides, hospice, etc.) that pet owners do not have.  The authors argue that this is why it’s so important for veterinarians to be well-trained in how to handle client distress in difficult situations.

 

Nutmeg, World’s Oldest Cat, Passes Away at 32

Many pet health experts consider cats to be “senior” after the age of 7.  If your cat has reached the age of 20, then he or she is definitely in the senior range.  But what about a 32-year old cat?  That’s roughly the equivalent of 144 human years!  One British cat named Nutmeg reached the ripe old age of 32 before passing on in late August.

According to Nutmeg’s owners, interviewed in a recent People Magazine article, this sweet guy enjoyed very robust health for most of his long life.  He lost most of his teeth and did suffer a stroke back in 2015, but he recovered and went on to live two more years.  His owners, a couple with no children, considered Nutmeg to be their child.  “We both feel like our hearts have been ripped out.  He was our little boy,” they said.  Anyone who’s ever lost a beloved pet, regardless of age, knows that feeling.

Here’s a video of Nutmeg from back in 2016.  His owner lovingly refers to him as a bit of a grumpy grandpa, but it’s obvious that he was a real sweetheart!

 

Image of Nutmeg from Westway Veterinary Group Facebook page.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Tea for Two with FACE Success Story Achilles and a Little Friend.

 

Key Findings from 2017 Pet Population and Ownership Trends Report

Did you know that 55% of all American households have pets?  Are you interested in learning about the latest dog, cat, and other companion animal trends?  The website reseachandmarkets.com has recently announced the publication of the market research report Pet Population and Ownership Trends in the U.S.: Dogs, Cats, and other Pets (2^nd Edition).  The report is available for purchase, but we’ve taken a sneak peek at some of the more thought-provoking findings, sure to be of interest to all pet parents and animal lovers!

Dogs

• Dog ownership has risen 29% in the past decade
• Both millennials and baby boomers are driving the growth in dog ownership
• Number of unmarried and childless dog owners is growing
• Half of U.S. dog owners live in the 25 largest metropolitan areas of the country
• Most pet owners favor smaller dogs but boomers tend to prefer larger dogs

Cats

• 59 million Americans own cats
• Cat owners are more likely to add other cats to the household than other kinds of animals
• Cat ownership among seniors has risen 43% in the past decade
• Number of Hispanic cat owners has been markedly increasing
• Females tend to drive growth in cat ownership numbers

Other Pets

• 15 million households have non-canine/non-feline pets (23% of all pet owners)
• There are 86 million “other” pets in the U.S.
• Latinos are most likely to have pet birds
• The presence of children in the household is a deciding factor in “other” pet ownership
• 73% of fish owners are under the age of 50
• 47% of reptile owners are millennials

Check out the Research and Markets website for even more pet ownership facts and figures.